Canucks drop preseason opener
Vancouver falls 4-2 to visiting Edmonton
VANCOUVER — Ty Rattie scored twice as the Edmonton Oilers chalked up their second win in a row, beating the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 on Tuesday night.
Jesse Puljujarvi and Caleb Jones also scored for the Oilers, who got another assist from Kailer Yamamoto, who put on a dazzling performance in a victory over Calgary on Monday night.
Sven Baertschi and Nikolay Goldobin replied for the Canucks.
Edmonton opened the scoring nine minutes into the first period with Puljujarvi snapping off a shot that slipped through the pads of Canucks goalie Anders Nilsson.
Shortly after the second frame started, the Oilers struck again — this time on the power play.
Rattie found the puck during a battle in front of the Canucks’ net and poked it in past Nilsson for his first goal of the night.
Rattie tallied his second in the third period after beating Vancouver defenceman Ben Hutton to the net.
Vancouver got onto the board five minutes into the second frame when Bo Horvat sliced a pass to Baertschi, who spun in front of the net and took a backhand shot between his legs that slid past Edmonton goalie Cam Talbot.
Goldobin found the back of the net on a third-period power play.
Elias Pettersson got credit for an assist on the play, marking his first time on an NHL scoresheet.
Anticipation about the Swedish forward’s Vancouver debut had been growing since the Canucks took Pettersson fifth overall at the 2017 NHL draft.
Pettersson spent last season taking the Swedish Hockey League by storm, notching 24 goals and 32 assists. He led the entire league in scoring.
The 19-year-old showed flashes of greatness Tuesday night, making a crisp backhand pass in front of the Edmonton net, deking out the Oilers’ defence and firing a rocket at Talbot during a second-period power play.
The game was the first of seven exhibition matches for the Canucks. They’ll play the Calgary Flames at home tonight, then host the L.A. Kings on Thursday.
The Oilers will host the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.
Tavares, Marner show chemistry as Leafs down Senators 4-1
LUCAN, Ont. — In the hours after the Maple Leafs signed John Tavares, Mike Babcock mused about playing his shiny new centre alongside Mitch Marner.
After just one preseason game, Toronto’s head coach must be smiling at what the finished product could eventually look like.
Tavares and Marner combined for six points Tuesday as the Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-1 in the opener of the NHL exhibition schedule for both clubs.
“They had a good night,” said Babcock, trying to downplay the performance. “We got a lot of good signs.”
Tavares scored his first two goals in a Toronto uniform and set up another, while Marner ripped a laser home in the third period to go along with two assists.
“It’s one exhibition game,” Tavares said. “It’s a start. Good to get things going and get some positive results, but we know we have a lot to work on.”
The trio of Tavares, Marner and Zach Hyman got better as the night went on for the Leafs, who were without about half their regular roster, including No. 1 centre Auston Matthews and starting goalie Frederik Andersen.